New Beginnings
Written by: The Cookie Cutter World
Don't blink or it will all be over, she told herself. Just breathe and maybe it will all go away. But wait, don't you have to close your eyes to make everything go away?
Now she was confused.
She just swallowed hard and kept her gaze focused on the floor. She knew taking on that kind of life was dangerous. Even her mother said that stealing is bad. Her mentors from childhood, even.
But daddy's doing it, so it must be good.
If you don't get caught.
If you do get caught, make sure to cover everything up by sugarcoating your image.
That's what daddy does. So how come it won't work this time?
"Miss Kenwood, answer my question." Urged the FBI agent who was tasked to interrogate her.
She kept still, refusing to make eye contact with the FBI agent who introduced himself as Anthony Carter. She kept her hands on her lap while making sure that she maintained her gaze on the table of the interrogation room.
"Miss Kenwood, are you listening?" he asked sternly.
She had no means for telling the time because the clock was positioned on the wall behind her. However, she had been listening to the ticking ever since she got inside the interrogation room and doing a little math in her head made her realize that she had been in that room for 2 hours and 17 minutes already.
Anthony Carter leaned back on his chair and rummaged through the papers resting before him. "3 major robberies and it's only now that we managed to catch you. What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked.
She still refused to answer. She kept listening to the ticking of the clock hanging on the wall behind her.
She could also tell that there were at least 5 people already behind the 2-way mirror to her left. "From 4 people, it became 5." She thought before finally making eye contact with Agent Carter. He noticed the way she was looking at him: challenging yet stoic at the same time. The look in her blue eyes made her appear so full of herself. And then she smiled calmly. "You mean 15, sir." She said.
He frowned.
But she did not say anything anymore.
"15 what, Miss Kenwood?" he asked.
That smile was plastered on her face. "Can I smoke here?" she asked kindly.
He was stunned. He just looked towards the 2-way mirror as if giving a signal to the people standing behind it and watching the events.
In a few moments, the door of the interrogation room opened but she refused to look at the person who entered being escorted by a police officer. She kept her gaze at Anthony Carter until she heard the familiar voice of an older man standing beside her. "I'm sorry to interrupt,"
Her smile slowly faded and for some reason, she felt like a child again—a child who wants to hide under the blanket where she can find comfort. But no, she can't do that anymore because she's a grown young lady in her early 20's.
She slowly turned her gaze towards the old man dressed in a black suit. He had a sympathetic look on his face as he observed the harassed look that her eyes were giving off and her lips that had curved already into a sad pout. She did not say anything but the old man turned to Agent Carter and smiled apologetically at him. "I'm sorry for the trouble this child has caused you. She's very confused, that's all. But according to the evidence that Erald Coil found, she is wrongfully accused." He said.
Another FBI agent and the head of the Washington DC Police Department arrived. "Anthony, I'd like you to meet Watari. He is the one representing Mr. Coil, the one who is helping us with this investigation for 3 months now." The latter introduced.
Anthony got up and shook hands with Watari. "Oh. Watari. I'm Anthony Carter, FBI agent. Pleased to meet you." He said.
Watari looked at her and gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. "I have already requested for her release since we already caught the real burglar involved in the robberies." He said before flipping open the Mac book that he brought along with him to present the evidence and the files related to the real criminal.
"We're sorry, Miss Kenwood. You can go now."
"We'll call Senator Kenwood so he can come over here to pick you up."
She looked up at Watari again in a pleading manner that only he was able to understand. He shook his head and turned to the other FBI agent who escorted him to the interrogation room. "No need to. I'll be the one to take Miss Kenwood home." He looked at the 2 FBI agents and the police chief. "I don't know what made you think that such a sweet girl like Miss Kenwood could be capable of doing such atrocious crimes. Furthermore, didn't you think it wouldn't stain her father's reputation as a politician?" he asked.
They were not able to answer.
She just lowered her gaze to the ground. "Can I have my purse back now?" she asked.
And a few minutes later, she was walking out of the Washington DC police station with Watari. She put her sunglasses on to shield her eyes from the blinding light of the setting sun. She did not say a word until they finally got inside a black Rolls Royce sedan and he drove away from the station. "I don't know how you did it but… thanks for savin' me."
Watari was just quiet.
She clenched her jaw. "I get it. I'm sorry. I know you and L know that I did those robberies. And I'll bet you're wondering why a rich senator's daughter like me would start robbin' big-shot politicians and business tycoons when she has her own trust fund and rich daddy to milk money from." She said frustratingly. "But my job's no joke. I actually worked for dangerous syndicates, stealin' for them so I can get my share of money and deposit them in my own bank accounts." She said in amusement before looking at him with a serious look on her face. "Well just so you know I did all of that with a purpose."
But he did not say anything. He just kept on driving until they reached an intersection with a traffic light that prompted him to stop. They sat in silence for a few moments and just when she thought he was ignoring her, he finally spoke up, "Wedy,"
She swallowed hard but she braced herself for anything that may be coming her way. Still, there was something calming in the way he mentioned her name… aside from the fact that it had been almost 9 years since the last time she heard anybody call her by that name. She also realized that in those 9 years that she had been away from that house, she had never felt so alone.
"There is no excuse for the 15 times you have stolen money and expensive goods from people and I know that you are aware of that. Stealing is always bad." He told her.
She could feel tears forming in her eyes but she did not move. She just looked away and stared at the orangey skies outside the window. "…I'm sorry." She said softly as she clasped her hands together on her lap.
The light switched to green and Watari shifted gears and stepped on the gas. They drove entirely in silence until Wedy realized that they were heading to one of the 5-star hotels in the area. Upon arrival, Watari parked in the underground parking lot and they rode an exclusive elevator leading to the penthouse suite.
"It's been 9 years, Wedy. How old are you now? 22?" Watari asked.
She nodded. "Yes, sir." She answered.
He smiled at her. "Well I have to say you've grown up to be a lovely and sophisticated young lady." He told her.
She did not reply anymore because the elevator door finally opened, revealing a big living room area with its own bar. Sounds were coming from a television in one of the 5 rooms of the penthouse suite. "I'm back, L." Watari announced as they stepped out of the elevator.
Wedy braced herself, refusing to move from her spot. Watari offered to take her Chanel coat and her Louis Vuitton purse to hang it on the coat rack. "Why don't you take a seat first and I'll serve you some tea and cookies… or would you prefer some coffee instead?" he asked kindly.
She shook her head as she handed her stuff over to the old man. "Old-fashioned English tea is nice, sir." She said sweetly before turning to the person who just emerged from one of the rooms. She immediately recognized him because it was as if he did not change at all… except for the fact that he was way taller than her already.
He looked at her with his large dark eyes in an amused manner. His left hand was hidden inside the left front pocket of his jeans while his right hand was by his face because he had the tip of his index finger inside his mouth. As for him, he almost failed to recognize her because of her shoulder-length blonde hair, red lips, sunglasses, her high heels, and her designer shift dress. "You're here." He said softly.
She did not move. She just stood there and looked at him with her gaze glued onto his dark eyes. She remembered being 13 years old the last time she gazed into those eyes. He was 8 back then—just when he was beginning to solve cases that eventually earned him worldwide recognition as the greatest detective. "L." she finally managed to say his name.
"Hello, Wedy." He greeted as he smiled like a shy schoolboy feeling embarrassed around a pretty lady.
She smiled weakly and she removed her sunglasses so she can take a better look at him. "You've grown taller." She told him.
L did not know what else to say. He just scanned her features from head to toe but his gaze eventually landed on her blue eyes. He could remember those eyes very well from his childhood because back then, especially on the first day he arrived at Wammy's House, he always thought that her eyes were the bluest and the most beautiful ones he has ever seen. It never failed to mesmerize him and he would imagine being lost at sea, creating adventures in his mind whenever he would look into them.
Watari excused himself and left them alone to go to the kitchen area.
She breathed in. "I'm sorry for causing trouble." She said.
L was just quiet. He kept his gaze on her blue eyes, watching the effect that the orange glow of the sunset was creating on them.
"I don't know how you managed to steer the evidence away from me but… thank you." She told him.
He was still silent. Wedy wondered if he was okay, but then again, she recalled that he really has the tendency to behave that way. People who are not familiar with L would immediately dismiss that kind of behavior as autism or any other psychological disorder. But for Wedy and the rest of the children who grew up seeing L in Wammy's House, it was normal.
But then again, what exactly is "normal" in Wammy's House?
"Stealing is a crime, you know that very well." L finally spoke up, surprising her. She was at a loss for words. She suddenly felt so vulnerable when she heard that.
"But I understand why you did that. Because your father said so." He said. And he walked over to her. "He's a good senator because he does his job well as a politician. He's also a good family man. He has never cheated on his wife, he loves his daughters very much—he even wanted his second daughter to receive the kind of education he received as a child. So even though you're not an orphan, he sent you over to England to train under Watari's wing. But he also steals from the US government and has at least 4 Swiss bank accounts. He deposits his money in 2 of those and he spends the money to feed the hungry children in various depressed areas of the world."
She stood still, refusing to move although she kept her gaze locked onto his.
"But stealing is stealing. He must've made you believe that playing Robin Hood is good." He stopped when he reached a 1-foot distance before her. "But stealing is stealing and according to the law, it is a crime."
They stood there in silence, just staring at each other. She kept a straight face as he proceeded to speak, "Since your father was a good student of Watari, I couldn't steer the evidence towards him. I had to look for another thief to accuse. So please don't do that again. It's actually a difficult task, you know."
She was quiet at first but she suddenly felt like laughing. It started out as a chuckle, then it evolved into a couple of giggles until it eventually turned into bitter laughter. And suddenly, she was crying and she just leaned forward against him and buried her face on his chest. Her clenched fists traveled to his chest and she gently pounded in frustration.
L hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, recalling the way she used to embrace him as an attempt to comfort him whenever he would wake up from nightmares in his childhood. She was one of the older children back then but she had no intention of playing the responsible role of a big sister to the other children no matter what Roger or Watari said. But L was different. She had to admit that her social skills were not as good as 10/10 but she preferred to hang out with the quiet children—and back then, she only had L to rely on.
She stopped crying when she felt his hand patting her back rather stiffly. It made her chuckle. "You're not good at this, are you?" she asked, although her voice was being muffled by his chest.
He froze, feeling a little embarrassed. "…I'm sorry. It was never taught in school." He said apologetically.
She laughed and moved away from him while attempting to wipe away her tears. "You're funny." She pointed out.
He looked at his white long-sleeved shirt and realized that lipstick and mascara had stained it. When she saw it, she felt bad. "Oh no. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…" she said as she approached him to inspect the stains.
"It's alright. I'm sure Watari can take care of it." He told her.
And they were quiet again.
"Tea is ready," Watari said, interrupting them as he arrived with a cart of cakes, cookies, 2 teacups, and a teapot.
As soon as they were seated on their respective couches in the living room area, Watari set up a laptop on the coffee table facing the couch where L had seated himself. "I believe you and L had a good discussion about the case, already?" the old man asked.
Wedy nodded as she got a large chocolate chip oatmeal cookie from the plate. "Seeing you two again is enough to serve as a sign that I should retire from being sneaky. Remember when I used to steal cookies from the kitchen when I was 7?" she asked Watari in amusement.
L looked at her. "If I knew that, I would've asked you to steal cookies for me, too." he said.
"Well, you're a sneaky girl, I still remember it very well." Watari said with a reminiscent smile before turning to L. "But I don't think encouraging her to steal cookies for you is good." He said sternly.
L just clenched his jaw before grabbing a plate with a slice of chocolate cake on it. "I was just speculating." He said before he turned to Wedy and watched her eat the cookie. "Besides, don't you think her sneakiness can be of an advantage?" he asked.
Wedy stopped chewing and swallowed. She looked at L. The way he was looking at her was enough for her to realize that he has plans for her. She turned to Watari and he let her see the display of the laptop. She frowned at what she saw.
"These are confidential now. As of now, only Watari and I are aware of what you did. However, if you promise to cooperate, I'm going to dispose of these evidence files pertaining to you." L explained.
"How were you able to gather that?" Wedy asked.
"You never leave any form of evidence or traces of DNA behind on the places you are stealing from. However, I was able to detect a pattern that exclusively belongs to you." L said.
She tilted her head to the side as she examined the portion she had bitten off already from the cookie. "Pattern?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.
"It's almost as if you have left clues that only a detective as prolific as L can see. You used to do that even as a child. Your father also does the same thing, mind you." Watari explained, eyeing the way that she was looking at the cookie. "I always know a smart child when I see one." He said, smiling in a satisfied way.
She looked at Watari, and then smiled sweetly before taking another bite at the cookie. She shifted her gaze to L. "What do you want me to do?" she asked slowly while chewing.
"I'm sure I can put your skills to use. You're a professional burglar, Wedy. You managed to get away with 15 counts of theft for several years until somebody finally called me to investigate on their missing diamond earrings, expensive vintage cars, and Egyptian antiquities." L said.
She shrugged and swallowed. "Well I'd rather work for you than be in jail, if that's the case. Besides, I wouldn't want to damage my pa's reputation as a senator." She said nonchalantly before winking at him.
L could not understand it but he could feel his cheeks and ears getting warm. "Is the airconditoner working, Watari?" he asked.
Watari looked up at the airconditioner vent on the ceiling. "It's centralized and it's working perfectly." He said, listening to the soft humming sound while feeling the soft cool breeze hitting his face.
L took a deep breath before turning to Watari. "Please dispose of all the evidence related to her." He instructed.
Watari nodded and picked up the laptop. "Everything?" he asked.
L nodded. With that, Watari exited to the other room. Wedy guessed that there could have been a lot of evidence that L was able to gather that were related to her crimes. Still, she was amused by the fact that L was the only person who was able to recognize her "signature" that she left in all her crime scenes.
He shifted his gaze back to her and pointed a finger at her face. She blinked and wondered why he did that until she heard him say, "You cried so your mascara bled a little."
She sat still for a moment before she got up and sighed. "Where's your bathroom?" she asked, but then she decided to look for it on her own instead. "Oh never mind." And she went over to one of the bedrooms.
By the time she got back, L was still sitting on his couch but this time, he was devouring his second serving of chocolate cake.
"You're gonna die from diabetes that way," she teased as she sat down again and grabbed a cookie.
"At least it's not lung cancer." He pointed out.
She frowned. How did he know that she smoked? But then again, given that he had been investigating her for the past few months, it was likely that he picked up some information about her habits, too. She just smiled sweetly at him and grabbed another cookie from the plate. "Touché!" she said while chuckling before taking a bite out of her cookie. "So, what do you want me to do?" she asked, crossing her legs in the process.
L finished with his cake first before taking 7 lumps of sugar cubes and dropping them altogether in his tea. "I need you to do some surveillance work for me. For the time being, you'll stay here until the case is finished. This is a very sensitive case so please do as I say and don't stray from my directions."
She nodded eagerly. "Understood."
He pulled out a piece of folded paper from one of his pockets and handed it over to her. She flipped it open and frowned when she realized that it was a profile of somebody from Wammy's House.
"He's a con-artist." L pointed out.
Wedy stared at the photo printed on the upper left side of the paper before nodding. "I see." She said.
She was simply excited to work for L.
-The End?-
…or to be continued. I'm not sure.
Author's Note: We all know that Wedy's past hasn't been divulged in any of the sources. This is my take on it and how L got to recruit her to work with him in his cases.